TS 1109 
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-EPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE 
E. E, PRATT, Chief 



SAVING OF 
WASTE PAPER MATERIAL 



HOW TO SELECT, ASSORT, AND DIS- 
POSE OF WASTE PAPER, RAGS, AND 
OTHER PAPER-MAKING MATERIAL 



MAY 10, 1916 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1916 






SAVING OF WASTE PAPER MATERIAL. 



HOW TO SELECT, ASSORT, AND DISPOSE OF WASTE PAPER, RAGS, AND 
OTHER PAPER-MAKING MATERIALS. 

Rags and old papers are used in very large quantities for manufacturing paper. Part 
of this material is collected in the United States, although the imports are about 50 
per cent of the amount used each year. Imports of rags and old papers during the 
past few months have decreased to such an extent that there has recently been 
almost a famine of paper-making raw material. The decrease in imports is very 
largely due to conditions abroad. Several foreign Governments, realizing the scarcity 
of paper-making material, have forbidden its export to other countries. This condi- 
tion is widespread in its effect, and as the demand for raw material is greater than 
the supply, prices have advanced. 

The effect of this increase in cost of all paper-making raw materials has been 
to make corresponding increases in the cost of all kinds and grades of paper. It is 
wise to save waste paper, rags, etc., for they are valuable. There is at present an 
increased demand for paper, cardboard, etc., in the United States. The present daily 
production of paper of all kinds is over 15,000 tons. The present daily consumption 
of old papers of all kinds for remanufacture is estimated at about 5,000 tons. Com- 
petent authority states that rags form 7.8 per cent of the fibres we use in paper 
making. Waste papers, books, magazines, etc., form 21.4 per cent. About 123,000 
tons of rags and 380,000 tons of waste papers, etc., were imported in 1913. 

Saving old paper and rags means a saving of the forests. The hearty cooperation 

of every man, woman, and child is essential if the collection of waste materials is to be 

made a success. 

WHAT TO SAVE. 

Clean white cotton or linen rags and clean unbleached cotton and linen rags are 
always in demand. Scraps and small pieces are just as suitable as much larger pieces. 
The finest grades of paper are made from such material and the demand for such rags 
is always steady. 

Cuttings from fancy shirtings, table damasks, toweling, cotton and linen dress goods, 
etc., are in demand and are readily sold. 

Soiled white rags, •^oth new and used rags, enter into the composition of a very 
large variety of high-grade white and colored papers. 

Soiled and dirty colored rags, known to the mills as "thirds and blues," except the 
black and dark-red colored ones, make up the largest amount of any single grade of 
rags used in the manufacture of high-grade book papers and medium-grade writing 
papers. In this class is included old canvas, awnings, sailcloth, and all kinds of soiled 
rags. No light-colored rag is too dirty to be used, as the manufacturing process con- 
verts the dirtiest rag into a white mass, whiter than the original cotton from which it 
was made. 

Black rags, especially old black stockings, are in general demand. They are used 
in producing black papers and especially for mixing with lighter-colored paper stocks, 
thereby producing the effect known as granite papers. 

Woolen rags of all kinds are of value; the higher grades are retiu-ned to the woolen 
mill for remanufacture, while the lower grades are in demand for manufacture into 
roofing papers or roofing felts. These roofing felts, after being saturated with tar, 
pitch, or asphaltum products, are xised under concrete cellar floors, building founda- 
tions, etc., to make buildings damp proof. Roofing felt is also extensively used for 

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D. of D. 
J UN is 1916 



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> roofs of buildings and gives excellent service as protection against rain. When satii- 
* rated with asphaltum it is slow burning, and produces a roof that has excellent fire- 
resisting qualities. 

Attention is especially called to the wide range of uses for which rags and old papers 
of all kinds are available. All grades should be saved, as the rag packer and the 
paper maker will find a use for them. The highest grades will go into the higher grades 
of paper, while even the lowest grades of this waste material can be made into box 
board. The product known as box board is an excellent substitute for wood used in 
the manufacture of wooden boxes, and when made into shipping containers it is fully 
as strong and very much lighter than the wood which it replaces. The saving of this 
material, therefore, prodxices a new superior product and at the same time conserves 
our forests. 

White clippings and shavings from book papers, bond papers, ledger papers, and 
writing papers are especially valuable, and a steady demand for such material is 
always found. 

Printers' waste, consisting of paper damaged in printing, paper used to clean ink 
from the inked forms and rollers of printing presses, and other soiled printing waste, 
is available for remanufacture into many different grades of paper. 

Wliite and colored wTiting papers are suitable for remanufacture into many other 
grades after the ink and coloring matter are removed. 

Clean wrapping papers of all kinds are valuable for remanlifactm-e into similar 



Old books, magazines, periodicals, accounts books, etc., can be remanufactured 
into book papers of excellent quality. All material of this kind that is saved is of 
direct benefit to the forests of the country, as magazine and book papers are very 
largely made from wood pulps. 

Clean folded news paper is suitable for a number of paper products and is in demand . 

All grades of cardboard, strawboard, corrugated box board, and soiled wrapping 
papers, newspapers, etc., are suitable and in demand for remanufacture into card- 
board required to make containers for packing crackers, cereals, and other food prod- 
ucts. The process of remanufacture is such that the material used is thoroughly ster- 
ilized. The demand for clean food products requires that all old papers must be saved. 

Burlap bagging and manila rope are also of value in the production of strong wrap- 
ping papers, and the supply of this material is always less than the demand. 

HOW TO ASSORT SAVED MATERIAL. 

Ill the household no attempt need be made to secure an accurate separation of 
waste paper and rags into the ultimate grades required by the paper industry. The 
degree of separation of these materials should depend in large part upon the amount 
on hand and the method of disposal of these collected waste materials. Many house- 
holders prefer to give all their waste paper and rags to charitable organizations rather 
than bother with the sale of small quantities. Organizations of this type, when 
requested, will call and receive usable waste material of all kinds. One of their 
cliief sources of income is from the collecting, sorting, and resale of such material 
which they use to support their beneficent work. Material given to them will be 
gladly received and forwarded to the proper destination . 

GRADING FOK HOUSEHOLDS. 

For those having small amounts of old rags and paper which they desire to dispose 
of to the dealer in junk and rags, it is suggested that the following grading be made: 

1. Separate rags from old papers. 

2. Separate folded newspapers from all other waste. 

3. Separate books and magazines from all other waste. 

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4. Provide bags for keeping all rags separate from other waste material. 

5. Tie magazines and books into bundles for convenience in handling. 

6. Keep all other waste papers in bags, barrels, bundles, or bales. 

7. Keep all collected waste material dry. 

In the collection of waste paper and rags, it is essential that all such material be 
kept dry and in such a manner that it will not accumulate additional dirt . Damp 
papers and rags are liable to mildew. Damp papers and rags are also a source of 
danger from spontaneous combustion. Many fires of "unknown" origin are due to 
spontaneous combustion. Mildewed papers ar\d rags are of little value as a paper- 
making material. 

GRADING FOR APARTMENT HOUSES, SMALL STORES, ETC. 

For the information of those having more waste material than may be collected by 
the average small householder, the following grades are suggested. They would be 
suitable for the amount of material available from apartment houses, small stores, 
hotels, etc.: 

1. Clean cotton and linen rags. 

2. Soiled cotton and linen rags, including old canvas, awnings, etc. 

3. Woolen rags and old woolen clothing. 

4. Burlap bagging. 

5. Books and magazines. 

6. Clean folded newspapers. 

7. Clean wrapping paper. 

8. Mixed papers consisting of soiled news, wrapping, cardboard, box board, etc. 

GRADING FOR DEPARTMENT STORES, OFFICE BUILDINGS, ETC. 

Department stores and large hotels, office buildings, and business houses that collect 
large quantities of waste paper would undoubtedly find it profitable to own their own 
baling press. By so doing the danger from fire is greatly lessened, as a well-pressed 
bale of waste paper burns very slowly, whereas the fire risk from a loose pile of old 
papers is always a menace to life and property. For department stores, large office 
"buildings, etc., the following grading would be most applicable: 

1. Bags of all kinds, mixed. 

2. Burlap bagging. 

3. White and colored waste papers from office wastebaskets, not including news- 
paper, wrapping paper, and cardboard. 

4. Clean folded newspapers. 

5. Clean wrapping paper. 

6. Mixed papers, consisting of soiled news, wrapping, cardboard, box board, etc. 

GRADING FOR LARGER USERS OF PAPER. 

For large printing establishments or other large users of paper where the supply of 
waste paper is a large item, it is important that proper separation into the trade grades 
be made in order that highest prices may be received. Careful sorting and baling is 
essential, and all grades must be free from glass, metal, tin, and rubbish, such as fruit 
skins, oily paper, and rags. 

The following grading for such establisnments is recommended as being the general 
practice. Conditions may, however, alter this grading and therefore it is suggested 
that an investigation be made of the demands of the local market before settling on any 
particular system of separation. 

1. No. 1 hard white shavings or clippings, free from ink, from bonds, ledgers, and 
fine writing papers. 

2. No. 2 soft white shavings or clippings, free from ink, from book papers. 




Fig. 2.— All-steel baling press open to receive paper. 



3. Colored shavings, free from ink, from bonds, ledgers, and writing papers. 

4. Printed white and colored papers known as printing waste, not dirty, but more 
or less smudged with ink. 

5. Clean kraft papers and rope-manila papers. 

6. Old wood-manila wrapping. 

7. Old book papers and magazine papers. 

8. Clean newspapers. 

9. Mill and bogus wrappers used in wrapping bundles, frames, and rolls. 

10. Mixed papers, including any of the above papers too soiled for the above grades. 

11. Box board, binder board, cardboard, and strawboard. 

Too much attention can not be given to the matter of keeping these various grades 
clean and dry. 

HOW TO HANDLE SAVED MATERIAL. 

The disposal of collected waste paper and rags may be handled in any one of several 
ways: 

By requesting some charitable society to call and receive them. 

By writing a dealer in waste paper or junk to call weekly or monthly. 

By collecting large amounts and then securing prices from local junk and rag dealers. 

By securing the cooperation of one or more large collectors and buyers of this mate- 
rial, who will establish branch agencies throughout the country, and who will also 
assist in carrying on a general publicity campaign. 

The Department of Commerce has no authority or means to establish these branch 
collection agencies, and, considering the immediate necessity for such an organiza- 
tion, it is suggested that until such time as an adequate collection organization is 
established, full advantage be taken of a charitable society. Such organizations 
exist throughout the country ready for immediate action. They can and will be ex- 
panded to meet the needs of everyone. 

For those who may live in small conmiunities or rural districts where there are no 
dealers in waste paper, rags, etc., it is suggested that a letter be addressed to the 
chamber of commerce of the nearest city, with the request for names of nearest dealers 
in such waste material. There is a chamber of commerce, board of trade, or a similar 
organization in every city and town of any size, and such an organization will un- 
doubtedly do all it can to add to the financial development of the surrounding com- 
munity . 

The attention of storekeepers in small rural towns and villages is called to the 
possible benefit to themselves by acting as the local collection agency for waste paper 
and rags brought in by those living in the surrounding community. Fifteen or 
twenty years ago the collection and sale of old paper and rags was considered a very 
profitable branch of the business of the country store. Storekeepers buying such 
waste material from the surrounding community would in turn be able to dispose of 
it in larger quantities to the nearest junk dealers. 

The attention of every local community is called to the national "clean-up and 
paint-up " campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to promote civic pride, improve 
sanitary conditions, and teach community neatness and cleanliness by interesting 
people in the collection and disposal of their old papers, rags, metals, etc. In many 
cases this collection of waste material was undertaken by school children and Boy 
Scouts. The money received was turned in to be spent in providing better play- 
grounds, or other objects for the good of the community. The promoter of these cam- 
paigns states that "the most valuable results, however, were the aroused civic con- 
sciousness among the children in doing their part in well organized community work 
and the practical lessons in thrift, as well as sanitation and fire prevention, that such 
work teaches them." This work of "clean up, paint up "is assisted by a well organized 
bureau known as the Clean-Up and Paint-Up Campaign Bureau, at St. Louis, Mo. 



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ADVANTAGES OF BALING PRESS. 

Figure 1 is a drawing of a homemade press which can be built at very small expense 
and which can be operated by even a small boy. Figures 2 and 3 are views of an all- 
steel baling press that is both cheap and easily operated. It is recommended that 
such devices be provided and used by all collectors of waste material required to 
handle over 100 pounds a day. A bale of paper or rags has the following advantage 
over an equal quantity of the loose material: 

1. Great saving in storage space. 

2. Great decrease in fire risk, as a well-pressed bale of paper will not blaze, but will 
only smolder, whereas the loose paper will, if ignited, almost instantly cause a serious 
fire hard to handle. 

3. Increased cleanliness and sanitation. 

4. Easier to handle. 

5. More readily salable. 

6. Great saving in freight charges, as a 
bale of well-pressed paper may be shipped 
for about one-third of the charges on a bag 
of loosely packed paper. 

Too much publicity can not be given to 
the movement to save all waste material, 
for the reason that it will not only help the 
manufacturer and consumer of paper but also 
will do much to promote "national thrift." 




Fig. 3.— Interior of press with bale of paper ready for removal. 

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